Posts Tagged ‘Washington’s Crossing Bridge’
Allegheny Foundations
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As you might recall from prior posts, your humble narrator was scuttling along the Millvale Riverfront Park frontage at the Allegheny River, and heading west to connect with the larger ‘Three River Heritage Trail,’ on this particular walk – which occurred in early July.
It had been a hot day with high humidity, and quite uncomfortable. A powerful thunderstorm had been forecast to arrive in the late afternoon, a condition which I was very aware of.
The plan was to cross around four to five miles of trail, along the riverfront, and then catch a T light rail to get back to Dormont before the vault of heaven exploded with rain and lightning.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A strong smell of sewage was in the air. Residential, I’d venture.
After all those years on Newtown Creek, I can tell you by scent alone if it’s commercial or residential. A couple of work trucks from Alcosan – the agency who handles Pittsburgh’s wastewater problems – were parked under one of the bridges, and there were a group of people, in ‘hi-viz’ orange and yellow shirts, engaged in what looked like a serious conversation nearby a pipe.
None of my business, and so I walked on. See, I’ve evolved. Didn’t stick my nose into it the way I would have back along the creek.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
All that steel is part of the system of trusses and ramps connected to the 33rd street rail bridge, which spans the river between Lawrenceville and the north shore of the Allegheny here.
A new ball cap I’ve been wearing isn’t flash orange, rather it’s bright white. Found it on Amazon, and the promise was that this ball cap will ‘wick’ your sweat up and evaporate it using some system of laser cut ventilation holes in the crown, which will in turn cool off your noggin.
The cap kind of did what the manufacturer promised, I’d mention, but Our Lady of the Pentacle and myself has decided that it looks like the sort of hat you’d normally expect to see worn by a someone’s Grandfather on a golf course.
It’s now officially known as the ‘Korean Grandfather’s Golf Cap.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My headphones were inserted firmly into the ear holes, and I was listening to a playlist of music so familiar to me that it’s kind of become my theme music over the years. Basically, it’s a mix tape of tunes that used to make me feel things back when I could still feel things. I’m so emotionally numb these days that…
One found himself entering what I often describe as being a ‘vegetation tunnel.’ Enveloped completely by the surrounding verge, with sight lines occluded or blocked by nature’s excess, it’s best to just ‘lean into it’ in areas like this since there’s really not much to see.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A plaque is set into the walkway, here’s a shot of it, describing the significance and creators of this ramp/bridge in this section of the trail.
Whereas I fairly despise those urban renewal processes which demolished whole neighborhoods in the name of building highways, those same processes also created a fantastic series of waterfront bike and pedestrian ‘rail trails’ all around the edges of Pittsburgh. Dichotomy.
Yes, I can hold and defend two contradictory points of view at the same time. Rules are arbitrary, conflict is normal, everything will work out in the end – one way or another. Don’t ever forget – lots of people might think and pronounce that you’re an ‘icehole’ – but that doesn’t mean that you’re not also right.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The weather was growing warmer as I walked, and the humidity rose. The afternoon storm was nearing, and I needed to ‘burn some shoe leather’ quick if I didn’t want to get caught out in it.
Back tomorrow.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
Millvale Waterfront Trailing
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
How did the humbly narrating chicken cross this road? Carefully.
Millvale, a Borough of Allegheny County which sits opposite Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville on the opposing shore of the Allegheny River, that’s where I was. The intersection pictured above allows pedestrian and bike traffic the chance to cross a de facto highway interchange which is… an interesting experience… and it requires pedestrians to go pretty far out of their way to simply cross the street.
Saying that, managed it. Carefully.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
To access the riverfront park, you cross over a set of grade level rail tracks and then under a rail bridge which carries another set of them.
These tracks connect to the 33rd street rail bridge, and ultimately over to the north side tracks leading to the Merchant Street Bridge to the west, then to the rail trench in Allegheny Commons Park, the Island Avenue Yard, eventually Conway, and the continent beyond. There’s other rail connections which branch off, of course.
As mentioned yesterday – methodology wise – one chunk at a time.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I did break off of my route for about a half hour and walked under a mile or so down the path pictured above. There’s a neat clearing back there, which offered what would be great views of passing locomotives, but I definitively ‘felt eyes’ on me back there.
Where this path leads is super isolated, and I’m 100% sure that there were encampments populated by people who wouldn’t take too kindly to some stranger with a camera showing up. I turned on my heels and reversed direction, and couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched for a distance. Kept on doing the heel spin thing to see if I was being stalked, but didn’t see anything or anyone. Still…
I’ve learned to listen to instinct, over the years.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Back on the proper trail, and moving westwards through the waterfront park, I headed down towards a boat launch where I hoped to be able to see the water, a viewpoint largely blocked by all of these trees.
Really lives up to the ‘sylvania’ part of this state’s name, I tell’s ya. There were a few other people milling about, riding bikes and that sort of thing.
I headed down to the ramp.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This is what the scene looked like – all hand held – to the camera.
Part of what I wanted to do in this ‘zone’ revolved around getting to know those new magnetic lens filters mentioned a few posts back. I found a spot where I could put the bag down, get the tripod out, and get busy.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Ten stop ND, with a stacked circular polarizer, for this one.
I’ve been desirous of shooting ‘low and slow’ for a bit now, and this was one of the first chances to do so that’s popped up in a while. There’s no point to the exercise if there isn’t flowing water in the shot, or something else that’s moving which you want to blur away, using this technique.
Back tomorrow with more.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
